


A Bond Of Their Own

by Selenic



Series: A Bond Of Their Own [1]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, The Sentinel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Ficlet, M/M, Sentinel AU, Soul Bond, Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-02 21:04:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5263538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selenic/pseuds/Selenic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"They had <em>needed</em> Rodney in that chair, whether the others agreed to it or not, and what they were facing as a result wouldn't even compare to what would happen if they couldn't regain control over the malfunctioning city."</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Bond Of Their Own

**Author's Note:**

  * For [melagan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/melagan/gifts).



> This is a short ficlet for melagan, who I asked for a prompt and a deadline to help kickstart my writing again :) She gave me a week to write something about: Rodney being a Sentinel, and things not going right so John has to help. Hope you enjoy what I came up with :) Unbetad, all mistakes are mine.
> 
> Crossposted [on LJ](http://selenic76.livejournal.com/89885.html)

 

A Bond Of Their Own

 

There was no sound, but Caldwell knew Rodney was screaming. They all _felt_ it with every cell of their being. Every person within Atlantis had dropped down to their knees, the weaker ones having fainted completely, those with more willpower barely managing to move. There were other, real and out loud screams coming from the corridor outside the room, and stark warning sounds were blaring at the three people trapped inside it.

"What the hell happened?" Caldwell shouted to Teyla between gritted teeth. "He's been in the chair before without any problems!"

Caldwell and Teyla were both crouching by the control chair where the rigid figure of Rodney sat, seemingly paralyzed. His wide, fear-filled eyes were staring at something neither of them could see.

"Yes, he has," Teyla hissed sharply at Caldwell and glared at him angrily, her usual politeness having disappeared as soon as Caldwell had dragged Rodney to the chair and shoved him in to it. "But not _once_ since he came online as a full Sentinel." She turned away from him and with visible effort rose up just enough to put her hands on Rodney's knees. "Hang in there, Rodney, he is on his way."

"Wait, what? He's a Sentinel with all his senses active? Why wasn't I told about this?" Though if he was honest with himself, Caldwell wasn't sure if he would have acted any differently even if he'd known the truth. They had _needed_ Rodney in that chair, whether the others agreed to it or not, and what they were facing as a result wouldn't even compare to what would happen if they couldn't regain control over the malfunctioning city. At any given moment Atlantis might decide the people within her walls were not just a small nuisance, but a threat to be eliminated at every cost. "And where the hell is his Guide, shouldn't they be here?"

"Rodney doesn't need a Guide," Teyla told him firmly, while she continued to try and soothe Rodney, to no avail. If anything things appeared to be getting worse—the city began to shake slightly, as if even Atlantis was responding to Rodney's pain. Caldwell was frankly amazed that Teyla could continue to function when he felt like he was being slowly torn apart from the inside out and his head hurt like it was about to explode.

"So not only is he an unregistered Sentinel, but a _rogue_ one?" he grunted out. "And with a mind like his?" Caldwell was stunned. Were these people insane? Rodney for sure should be. There was a known correlation between the intelligence of a Sentinel and a high risk of not surviving the initial shock of coming online, and having all five senses involved multiplied the odds. If a Guide was not found soon enough for a Sentinel like that, that chance became a certainty. They all went insane first, and then died. Now that was likely to happen to all of them. Caldwell's vision was getting blurry, and a trickle of something warm touched his lips. He tasted blood.

As he fell down, gravity finally becoming too much to fight, a sudden flash of blaster fire tore a hole in the door, and then it exploded. With a loud roar Ronon pushed the remains of it aside and stormed in, before collapsing on the floor in a growling heap. He still had enough strength point his gun at Caldwell, but not enough to fire. Another shape emerged from the smoke, crouching, stumbling, but advancing towards Rodney with grim determination.

"Rodney... doesn't need, a Guide," Teyla repeated wearily as she slid out of the man's way and on to the floor. "He has John." Then she finally lost consciousness.

On the verge of passing out himself, Caldwell hazily saw John Sheppard climb onto Rodney's lap, curling against a body that suddenly went limp at the touch.

"I'm here, Rodney, I'm here," John whispered tenderly, and the screaming stopped. The whole city seemed to fall silent, the loss of sounds leaving behind only a weirdly ringing emptiness. Otherwise everything was eerily quiet.

For a moment Caldwell thought Rodney might be gone, hearing no answer to John's quiet words. But after a while, Rodney's eyes regained their focus and turned towards John, who smiled and with one hand cupped Rodney's still pale face. "I've got you, buddy."

Instead of the excruciating pain Caldwell had experienced earlier he was now flooded with intense joy and love, almost euphoric—and he also got an impression of a connection, a deep bond. Caldwell watched how John slowly leaned in and gently kissed Rodney, knowing that all that he could feel was most likely but a pale shadow of what was actually shared between the two, but it was enough for him to understand.

He realized now what Teyla had meant. Rodney didn't need to bond with a Guide, because he had already bonded with someone else. Caldwell wasn't the type to believe in soulmates, but he'd bet others would.

Before Caldwell gave into exhaustion and sank into darkness, he laughed dryly. Who'd have though that they'd have to rewrite all the books on Sentinels because of _these_ two?

 

~~~ End ~~~

 


End file.
